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BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – The Pan American Health Organization / World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) warmly congratulates the Government and people of the Commonwealth of Dominica on the declaration of the country’s inaugural Primary Health Care Week, 13-17 April 2026, observed in honour of Dr Carissa F. Etienne, Dominican national and Director Emeritus of PAHO.
The week was officially declared open by Cassanni Laville, minister of health, wellness and social services during National Public Health Week, marking a significant milestone in Dominica’s long‑standing commitment to strong, community‑centered primary health care as the foundation for universal health.
Dominica’s primary health care network, organised across seven health districts, serves as the first point of contact for the population through more than 50 public health centers and clinics, providing essential services that are largely free at the point of use. These services reach communities across the island, including rural areas and the Kalinago Territory, and support health needs across the life course.
Primary health care plays a central role in addressing Dominica’s most pressing health challenges. Noncommunicable diseases principally hypertension-related heart disease and stroke – are the leading causes of death, followed closely by diabetes and its complications, including renal failure, lower-limb amputations, and blindness. Prevention, early detection, and long‑term management of these conditions are delivered primarily through community‑based health services.
Speaking on the importance of the observance, the PAHO/WHO Representative for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean Countries, Dr Amalia Del Riego, commended Dominica’s leadership and vision:
“The declaration of Primary Health Care Week in honour of Dr Carissa Etienne is both symbolic and substantive. Dr Etienne devoted her life to advancing equity, universal access to health, and people‑centred, primary health care-based health systems. Dominica’s strong district-based health system serving a population of just over 66,000 people through community clinics, health teams reflect the very values she championed across the Americas.”
Primary care facilities in Dominica deliver a wide range of services, including maternal, newborn, and child health care; immunisation; family planning and reproductive health services; mental health support; dental care; environmental health and vector control; and screening and management of chronic diseases. These services are supported by a multidisciplinary workforce of doctors, nurses, community health aides, environmental health officers, and support staff.
Following the devastation of hurricane Maria in 2017, Dominica has made sustained investments to strengthen resilient, climate‑smart primary health care infrastructure, train health workers, and expand community outreach efforts that have reinforced the capacity of the health system to respond to both everyday health needs and public health emergencies.
PAHO/WHO also recognises the dedication of Dominica’s health workforce, whose service ensures continuity of care and brings prevention and wellness closer to homes and communities every day.
As Dominica honours the extraordinary legacy of Dr Carissa Etienne, PAHO/WHO reaffirms its commitment to supporting the country in strengthening primary health care, reducing avoidable illness and premature deaths, and advancing health for all.
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